1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to spa cover removers and, more particularly, to spa cover removers having a pair of parallel side arms which are pivotable at opposite respective sides of a spa, about the lower ends of the side arms, and a crossbar extending between the upper ends of the side arms.
2. Description of the Related Art
In my U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,072, issued Dec. 14, 1999, I have disclosed a spa cover remover having a pair of parallel side bars pivotally connected at their lower ends to opposite sides of a spa, with a crossbar in the form of a roller extending between upper ends of the side bars.
I have now found, from experience with the use of such a spa cover remover, that it is desirable to maintain the side arms rigidly parallel to one another, in order to avoid bending and bowing of the crossbar.
According to the present invention, therefore, I provide a spa cover remover comprising a spa cover support for raising a spa cover, the spa cover support including a pair of parallel side bars at opposite respective sides of a spa, the side bars having upper and lower ends, with a crossbar extending between the upper ends of the side bars, a pivot shaft extending between the lower ends of the side bars and rigid connections between the lower end of the side bars and the pivot shaft and between the upper ends of the side bars and the crossbar. The spa cover support is pivotable about the longitudinal axis of the pivot shaft. The crossbar is formed of inner and outer telescopically interengaged and adjustable sections, so that the spa cover remover is readily adaptable to spa housings of various dimensions, and the outer sections have recesses accommodating the heads of screws securing the sections together, whereby damage to the spa cover is avoided.
Preferably, a resilient connection between the spa cover support and the spa allows pivotation of the spa cover support about that axis to locate the crossbar, with a spa cover folded over the crossbar, in a supporting position offset from above the spa.
By rigidly reconnecting together the sidebars, the pivot shaft and the crossbar, the spa cover remover can be pivoted to and fro, to move the spa cover to and from the spa, by applying force to only one of the sidebars, without causing the spa cover remover to become twisted.